Boat victim given $10 million award

December 22, 2001

CHICAGO — A Cook County jury on Friday awarded a Chicago woman $10 million for the loss of part of her right leg following a 1997 powerboat accident on Lake Michigan.

Kathleen Rooney, 39, was swimming near Oak Street Beach when she was run over by the Seadog I, a 70-foot-long tour boat. The accident severed her right foot, and her leg was later amputated at midcalf so she could be fitted with a prosthesis.

During the trial, the boat's pilot testified he didn't see Rooney in the choppy water.

The $10 million award includes payment for medical bills of $119,389; the rest is compensation for the impact the injury will have on Rooney's "quality of life," said her attorney Joe Power.

Michael Higgins, senior vice president of Seadog Ventures, said this was "a very unique and unfortunate incident that could not have been foreseen."